“Really Jason, I can walk to my father’s room,” insisted Jessica as Jason settled her into the wheelchair.

Although everything looked good with the baby and Jessica’s pressure had gone down, Dr. Meadows wanted to keep her overnight for observation before releasing her.

“Jessica, I would feel better if you sat in the chair while I wheeled you there,” said Jason as he turned the chair around and directed it out of the room.

Jessica settled into the plastic seat and put her hands on the arm rests. Her eyes moved around as Jason wheeled her down the hall to the elevator. The ICU ward was two floors up.

As they waited for the elevator to arrive, Jason watched Jessica. She kept playing with the belt of her robe, twisting it around her fingers. Stepping around to the side, Jason squatted down and put his hand over hers. “It’ll be okay Jess,” he said gently.

“I know Jason, but . . . I don’t know if I can see him like that.” Jessica wanted nothing more than be at her father’s side, but she was scared; scared to see the man she had always thought of as strong and powerful lying there attached to machines and tubes to keep him alive.

“Do you want to wait?” Jason asked.

Jessica shook her head. “No. I need to see my father Jason. I need to be there for him. And for Diego. He’s really struggling with this.”

As they finally neared the ICU ward, Jessica saw Monica and Skye standing by the nurse’s station talking. The two women approached.

“Jessica, sweetie, how are you?” Skye asked, wiping at the tears on her cheeks.

Glancing at her son and seeing his nod, Monica took a breath. “Right now, your father is in critical condition Jessica. The bullet pierced his lung and he lost a lot of blood – which caused him to slip into a coma. All we can do is wait and keep a close eye on him.”

Jessica nodded as she processed what Monica said. It didn’t sound real – as if she were talking about someone else and not her father. Her father was strong and invincible – at least that’s what she had always thought when she was younger. No matter what life threw at him, Lorenzo Alcazar always fought back – he was a survivor and Jessica just hoped that he had enough in him to fight back now.

“Can I go in and sit with him?” she asked, her gaze shifting to the door of the room that held her father.

Monica nodded. “Of course Jessica. Diego is in there now.”

Jason moved the chair to the door, but Jessica stopped him. “No Jason, I want to walk in there. I’ll be fine, I promise.”

Jason nodded and instead set the break on the chair and helped Jessica to stand.

Taking a steadying breath, Jessica pushed open the door and stepped inside.

*~*~*~*~*

“Justus, I knew you would come,” said Faith as she stood and walked over to the front of the cell where she was being held. “I need you to get me out of here.”

“Why Faith, so you could terrorize or kill more innocent people?” Justus asked in disgust. How could he have thought this woman was capable of love? She was nothing more than a cold blooded killer with a heart of stone.

Faith glared at Justus and folded her arms over her chest. “Get over it, okay Justus? You can’t tell me you’re actually defending the likes of Sonny Corinthos, Jason Morgan and Lorenzo Alcazar?”

Justus picked up on the mocking tone of her voice and turned his dark chocolate eyes on her ice blue ones. “First of all, Jason happens to be my cousin whether he acknowledges that or not Faith. And second of all, there were a lot of innocent people in that club tonight, including a pregnant woman and teenagers.”

Faith rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Give me a break Justus. There is nothing innocent about Jessica Alcazar, believe me. She’s just as lethal and guilty as her father. And just because she’s pregnant doesn’t give her automatic immunity. She put herself in the middle of this by constantly attacking me.”

“And you would put the life of an innocent, unborn child in danger because you don’t like the mother? What kind of monster are you Faith?”

“The kind that will do anything to get what she wants,” Faith said as she turned her back on him. “The kind that will not let anyone stand in her way. If you’re not going to help me Justus, then leave – and don’t come back.”

Justus didn’t move for a moment. “Keep this in mind Faith. Jessica Alcazar is a lot tougher than you give her credit for. She is overly protective of those that she loves – you do know the concept of love don’t you Faith? You know, it’s that emotion where one person gives their heart and trust to another – and Jessica has already proven once that she will do anything for those that she loves.”

“Oh, you mean by killing, don’t you Justus?” Faith asked as she turned, her eyebrow raised, hands on her hips.

“That was in self-defense Faith,” Justus defended. With all that Ric Lansing had put Jessica through, Justus would have been surprised if the man was still walking and breathing.

“Self-defense? Good one Justus. She’s the daughter of Lorenzo Alcazar, there is no such thing as self-defense in his world. Now, I will say it again. If you are not going to be of any help, leave.”

Justus shook his head one last time and then turned and walked away. There was nothing he could do or say.

*~*~*~*~*

Diego looked up when he heard the door open. “Jessica,” he said, seeing his sister standing there. Quickly getting up and going to her, he gently guided her to the chair he had just been sitting in. “Should you be up?” he asked.

“I’m fine Diego,” Jessica said, not taking her eyes off of her father. Her eyes took in his pale skin and the dark circles that had formed under his eyes. The breathing tube protruding from his throat obscured part of his face. He was wearing a hospital gown and the light blanket was pulled up to his chest, but Jessica knew that underneath the thin material there was a bandage where the bullet had entered him. Machines, monitors and various other tubes and wires surrounded the bed, all attached to her father.

“I’ve never seen him so still before,” she whispered, tentatively reaching her hand out and putting it over his. It was so cold and unmoving. Blinking back her tears, Jessica looked up at Diego, not taking her hand from her father’s. “Has there been any change or improvements since he was brought in?”

“No,” said Diego as he stood on the other side of the bed. “They said he lost consciousness in the ambulance. His heart stopped as well, but they were able to bring him back.” Diego shook his head. “I still don’t know how he was able to do what he did at the club.”

“I heard,” Jessica said with a small smile. “But Dad is a fighter Diego; I know he’ll pull through this. There is no way he would leave us. Not now, not if he could help it.”

Diego hoped Jessica was right. He had lived seventeen years without his father and now that he had him, Diego didn’t want to lose him so soon.

*~*~*~*~*

Jason stood at the observation window, watching Jessica and Diego. “What are his chances?” he asked Monica, who he knew was still standing nearby.

“Well, he was healthy and in good shape before this happened. It’s been a while since his last visit here for a major injury, but the large amount of blood loss can cause some issues. We need to watch for infection and spontaneous internal bleeding, but other than that, I don’t see any reason for him to not wake up and make a full recovery,” Monica said, watching her son. She knew how much Jason hated the man in that room, but his love for Jessica and their child overpowered that hate. It was something Monica thought she would never see in Jason again.

Since his accident ten years ago, Monica never thought Jason would be able to love this deeply every again. Sure, he had been in relationships over the last ten years and had expressed love for those women, but it was nothing like this. Jason risked his life more than once for Jessica; he even helped to save the life of a man he despised for her. It almost brought tears to Monica’s eyes.

*~*~*~*~*

Jessica shifted her chair a little closer to the bed and placed her free hand on her father’s forehead as she leaned forward. “Hey Dad, I hope you can hear me. I want you to know that I’m here. So are Diego and Skye and we’re just waiting for you to open your eyes and come back to us. I know you need time to heal, but don’t take too long, okay? I need you here when my daughter arrives. I want her to grow up with her grandfather in her life. I want you to spoil her with extravagant gifts and trips to the park. I want you to teach her all about history and literature; read her the classics and instill in her a deep appreciation for academia. I want her to know the sensitive, caring and passionate side of you.” Jessica stopped a moment and searched her father’s face for any signs that he heard her. “I guess this is how you felt when I was in the hospital. Waiting for me to wake up and praying that I would be okay. But I know that you’ll be okay Dad. You’re strong. You’re a survivor. And I refuse to give up on you. I still need my father in my life – no matter how much I say I don’t.” Jessica looked up at Diego. “Diego needs you too. He may feel that it’s too late for him to have a father, but I think he’ll need a good kick in the butt every now and then.” Taking a slightly shaky breath, Jessica wiped at the tears that started to slip down her cheeks. “And Skye needs you too Dad. She loves you. Even if she hasn’t said the words yet, I can see it in her actions, I can hear it in her words, and I can see it in her eyes when she looks at you. And I know you love her too. You need to wake up and tell her that. You need to come back to us.”